Carnelian Beads

Our carnelian beads possess a rich, deep, orange-red color. The darker, more consistent orange carnelian such as this is heat-treated to ensure the beauty and longevity of the color. The faceted cuts have an incredible eye-catching sparkle.

More About Carnelian

It is widely believed that the name Carnelian is derived from the Latin word "carne", which means “flesh”. Egyptian tombs are full of examples of carnelian jewels because the ancient Egyptians believed that carnelian amulets would ensure a safe passage into the afterlife. Carnelian was also highly valued by the ancient Greeks and Romans, who used it for signet rings.

Carnelian is variety of chalcedony (microcrystalline/cryptocrystalline quartz). Its translucent, orangey-red coloration is primarily due to the presence of iron oxide (hematite).